Human Bomb

“The Human Bomb” was a popular feature created by Paul Gustavson, who created a number of successful super-heroes for Quality.

Roy Lincoln was the son of a gifted scientist who invented a super-explosive called 27-QRX—five times more powerful than nitroglycerin. When spies arrived to steal the formula, they killed Roy’s father. To keep it from falling into their hands, Roy took drastic measures and swallowed the capsule. His body began to glow and he was imbued with deadly explosive power, centered in his hands. Roy’s first fight ended with a punch that brought down the entire building. To protect the world from his touch, Roy built a full-body suit laced with the same sort of “fibro-wax” used to contain the original explosive. As the Human Bomb, Roy waited for the thugs to return and learned the whereabouts of their boss, an Axis diplomat. When the rat fired on Roy, the bullets exploded on contact, leaving the hero unharmed. With no one as witness, Roy delivered another blow to kill the spy. (Police #1)

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Hustace Throckmorton: The "Human Booby-Trap"

In a desperate situation one day at a hospital, Roy was called upon to donate blood for one Hustace Throckmorton. Afterwards Lincoln kept tabs on the man—and for good reason. The transfusion gave Hustace similar powers, but instead of explosive hands, he found that his feet produced charges! Roy was forced to reveal his secret to Throckmorton and loaned him a pair of his own asbestos gloves to use as slippers. Hustace’s girlfriend, Honeybun, was a hulk of a woman who taught fighting tactics to military men. (Note: This story made mention of the Black Condor.) (#15) Throckmorton continued to cause trouble, especially when a shoe flew off and his powers began causing chaos. (#16) When newsmen Olaf Olson and Lars Larson got a picture of the Human Bomb taking off his costume, Hustace threw them off the trail by donning the suit and pretending that he was the Human Bomb (and destroying property in the process). (#17)

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Notes

The Super DC Calendar 1976 gave Human Bomb's birthday as January 18 .

DC

The Human Bomb next appeared in 1973’s Justice League of America #107-108. Roy was reintroduced to readers along with other former Quality heroes as the Freedom Fighters. This story and the successive Freedom Fighters series are no longer in DC continuity.

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Andrew Franklin, Human Bomb II

Soon after Roy Lincoln’s death, his successor was borne among the toxic rubble of the city of Blüdhaven. This city had been destroyed by the Society, the same group responsible for Roy’s death. Many died but some like Andy Franklin were transformed. Franklin was working as a researcher in the city when it was bombed, and his girlfriend was one of the first to die. When Franklin’s metagene was activated, he destroyed even more of his facility. (Uncle Sam & the Freedom Fighters #5)

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Notes

“The Human Bomb” was replaced by “Honeybun” in Police #59. This was also created by Paul Gustavson, but it was a male character—not Hustace’s girlfriend.

The Human Bomb also appeared in the mini-series Enginehead. In issue #6, he blew himself up, but that series is generally considered to be out-of-continuity. It also used irreconcilable versions of other heroes.

The Human Bomb was the inspiration for the character of the same name in John Arcudi’s 2002 Elseworlds series, JLA: Destiny.